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At a rousing event with affordable health care advocates, President Obama defended the health-care overhaul he signed into law last year, saying it had not killed jobs or hurt seniors and that it was important to helping lower the deficit.
Calling access to quality affordable health care "part of the American dream", the president spelled out the benefits of the new law that are already in effect -- from tax credits for small businesses to insuring children with pre-existing conditions -- and outlined ones set to kick in later and he reiterated his promise to work with anyone, Republicans or Democrats, to improve it.
"I believe that anything can be improved," Obama said at Families USA's 16th Annual Health Action Conference. "I am not willing to just re-fight the battles of the last two years. I'm not open to efforts that will take this law apart without considering the lives and the livelihoods that hang in the balance."
The president's strong defense of a law he spent a great deal of political capital to get passed comes after a vote by House Republicans to repeal the bill. While that effort is certain to die in the Senate and would be vetoed should it ever reach the president's desk, the White House understands the importance of continuing to sell the law and to explain its benefits to an American public that in many ways remains skeptical about it.
During a 20-minute speech that was frequently interrupted by shouting and applause, Obama directly referenced the arguments made by the other side.
"You may have heard once or twice that this is a job-crushing, granny-threatening, budget-busting monstrosity," he said, sparking laughter in the audience gathered into a hotel ballroom. "That just doesn't match up to the reality."
Obama said the economy had grown and added jobs in the 10 months since the law went into effect, more small companies were able to offer their employees coverage and seniors were getting prescription drug help.
"I can report that granny is safe," Obama said, prompting more chuckles.
Repealing the law would raise premiums for the middle class, add costs for large companies who provide coverage to their workforce and put insurance companies back in charge of health care, the president said, adding -- in an effort to address the concerns of voters concerned about the deficit -- that the health care overhaul would slow growth in Medicare and Medicaid costs, two of the biggest contributors to the deficit.
"Repealing this law would add a quarter of a trillion dollars to our deficit over the next decade and another trillion dollars in the decade after that," he said, citing estimates by non-partisan economists and the Congressional Budget Office.
In his brief introduction of the president, the Founding Executive Director of Families USA Ron Pollack thanked him for achieving what presidents had for decades tried to do.
"We're committed to work towards the effective state by state implementation of the Affordable Care Act and we will stand shoulder to shoulder with the president to make sure that no one, absolutely no one takes away from America's families the important benefits and rights of the Affordable Care Act," Pollack told a cheering crowd.
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If this law is so great; why is he still acting like a used car salesman? This law apparently cannot stand on its own merits. Obama may be out of office by the time this takes full effect and then it will become someone else's problem. Politicians pull this type of move all of the time. Pass a law that doesn't go into effect until they are long gone.
He has to sell it, In The Middle, because the rightwing has polluted the healthcare debate with misinformation and outright lies from the beginning. Most Americans don't know the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office has said the healthcare reform bill LOWERS the federal deficit, it doesn't raise it, and it certainly doesn't "kill jobs" unless you count the positions of people committing medicare fraud.
IntheMiddle, TX
I remember back in 1983 when unemployment was just as bad as it is now and all democrats could say was reagan is a one term president and soon we will, repeal his tax cut and spending cuts, but it never happened, the same was said about clinton in 1994 but guess what happened. they both had huge losses in the mid terms, there popularty as below 30% but they both got a second term. so IntheMiddle instead of perdicting him as a one term president. tell your republicans brothers to shut the tea party up, tell Bohner to create Jobs instead of wasting time repealing something he has no chance to do. the best way to keep Obama to 1 term is create Jobs, and only create jobs and stop all the inbetween stuff.
Did Obama mention that his "pre-existing conditions" rule had killed child only policies in twenty states so far- and this is just JANUARYhttp://www.politico.com/news/stories/0111/48299.html
I wonder why not?
I think a big part of the problem is that the full benefits of the plan do not come into effect until 2014. It's difficult to sell something that really isn't there yet.
The end result is that no one else has a healthcare solution - the Republican tage line of "purchasing healthcare across state lines" is a red herring as each state has its own minimum healthcare requirements. For example, someone in Georgia may end up purchasing low cost "junk" healthcare from Alabama. For this to work, the the Federal governament would have to mandate federal healthcare minimums, whcih brings us right back to Obamacare ( for lack of a better word )
Tort Reform is also a red herring since 47 States already have limits to medical malpractice lawsuits. These States all have varying limits, which means that there would have to be Federal minimums set up for Tort reform.
I thought that Republicans wanted more State control and less Federal control ? ( go figure why they keep pushing these two concepts ! )
Both solutions are good for bumper stickers only but nothing more substantial
The LAW grants Comrad Kathleen Sebelius the power of life and death over corporations, insurance companies and subscribers
Just wait until Comrad Sebelius STOPS granting EXEMPTIONS
After all it took the EPA over 30 years to decide to ATTACK the LIVLIHOOD of each citizen of the United States that BREATHES carbon dioxide
Obama says don't read the LAW and the UNTRAMMELED POWER GRANTED TO SOULESS BUREAUCRATS
Obama never bothered to read the LAW himself because Congress abdicated the power to make all healthcare decisions to THE BUREAUCRATS anyway
Should Granny Trust OBAMA because he SAYS you're safe?
Didn't Obama say to for the US to save money Granny "take a pain pill" instead of "surgery."
Madison - citizens breathe oxygen, not carbon dioxide. Oxygen is breathed IN by people. Carbon dioxide is breathed OUT. Then plants and trees absorb carbon dioxide and, through something called photosynthesis, emit oxygen so that people can have oxygen to breathe. It's called the carbon dioxide oxygen cycle and is part of ecological balance. Where did you go to school?
I see that Madison is real bright today.
I don't think I've heard this much BS since Clinton took the stand.
Keeping the law is going to raise premiums for the middle class...with only the few provisions enacted so far the increases are already dramatic. Secondly...how would repealing the law add costs to large employers that offer benefits??? So far he's exempted most of them. If he didn't, they would have discontinued offering benefits because of the cost of the law!!
I want to know how adding a wellness benefit to medicare which wasn't there before, covering colonoscopies at 100%, and closing the $4000 donut hole for 50 million people saves money. There is close to a trillion dollars a year in additional benefits to medicare and it's going to cost less? This make absolutely ZERO sense.
Non partisan CBO??? Are you kidding? Doug Elmendorf, the head of the CBO, was APPOINTED by Nancy Pelosi and this report is non-partisan?
Hey Obama, why don't you ask Bruce Reed what he thinks while you're at it....I mean you did appoint him as the Executive Director of National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform. His degree in English Literature makes him more than qualified to lead up this effort.
I agree, except the argument could be made to insert "ever" after "I've" and leave off the last 5 words of the above sentence.
The quarter trillion dollar saving by not repealing HCR hoax?
Does anyone really not understand that this is based on Obama telling the CBO that they will receive $770 Billion in revenues (new taxes) and only providing $540 Billion in benefits? ($770B - $540B = $230B.)
In the first place, how is paying $770 for $540 worth of benefit a good deal?
Secondly, how can a new NET cost be a saving? (New tax cost to Americans)
Third, aren't a lot of the taxes projected based on assumption that people / companies will not change their behavior - one of the provable lies of all time?
This isn't even smoke and mirrors - just plain insanity.
IntheMiddle, TX "If this law is so great; why is he still acting like a used car salesman? This law apparently cannot stand on its own merits. Obama may be out of office by the time this takes full effect and then it will become someone else's problem. Politicians pull this type of move all of the time. Pass a law that doesn't go into effect until they are long gone."
You are right. If it's such a great law, why didn't it go into full effect right away?
Answer - Because then we would find out the truth about how bad it really is. Conveniently, most of the actual cost will kick in 2 months AFTER the next presidential election.
Amy B. Portland, ME "Most Americans don't know the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office has said the healthcare reform bill LOWERS the federal deficit, it doesn't raise it"
You forgot to mention that the CBO was told to ASSUME that $500 Billion would be cut from Medicare, and they were also told to ASSUME that the $240 Billion 'Dr. Fix' for Medicare should be ignored, assumptions hiding $740 Billion in costs - only then could the CBO calculate that HCR would 'reduce' the Deficit by about $125 Billion over 10 years. Oh yes, I almost forgot to mention that HCR only provided benefits for 6 years, while collecting taxes for 10 years as part of the Deficit calculation (see my comment at #1.11 above)..
Heartlight3
I think most people were able to understand that Madison's comment means that carbon dioxide is expelled as part of the 'breathing' process.
Why are you being so hypercritical?
Howdy inthemiddle. I sure nuff hope yall do realize that it wasn't the POTUS that passed the law
This nonsense about the HealthCare LAW, "kill Jobs" is just more propaganda from the republicans, republicans are in the insurance companies pockets and have monetary benefits from them if they can stop the HealthCare LAW, never going to happen!
The more conservatives attack the presidents plan, the more apparent it becomes, that they have no counter plan.
Precisely Patrick!
In order to see what the conservative plan is - you better make sure your handy dandy decoder ring is fully functioning!
It's the ONLY way you can find out what's in their supposed 'plan'! lol
Fiesty - You are wrong...the Republicans do have a plan....haven't you heard? They are debating privatization of Medicare as we speak.
WHAT was I thinking Laurie? lol GOOD Catch!
Privatization = the rich get theirs and the rest of us get screwed... again!
Next up: Social Security...
BTW: I have no issues with capitalism - I do however have issues with unending GREED! Which is all capitalism amounts to these days!
Well I am here to report that Granny is not safe. The death panels are inside the insurance companies - who is going to get that surgery or not get covered. Going through this right now myself and I am not a Granny!
What is a person to do if you need surgery but the insurance company will not pay for it after YEARS of paying for private insurance? This is not OPTIONAL surgery either.
Really I would like to know - anyone?? What can I do????????
Would that be like Nancy saying,"pass the bill and you will know what's in it", yeah...........I wonder if Obama's Aunt is safe? Is she still living in the United States? Just wondering...............
LT,
Can you hook me up with one of those IDs? I live in Florida, I could use one. Thanks Brother.........
One can only hope that you get to test that theory some day...
Hang in there Elise! *hugs*
Elise,
The first thing you do is call the Department of Insurance in the state you are in and file a complaint (most states allow you to do this online as well). Most major medical plans cover based on "medical necessity"....I've seen that terminology abused over the years by the insurance carriers when trying to deny a claim, but if you have a medical professional that can verify the necessity, the carrier would be hard pressed to continue to deny the claim. There is also precendent (Case in Florida in the late 90s I believe against United Healthcare HMO) that you can sue your insurance carrier for medical malpractice.
Most often I've seen these problems because of a discrepency between the doctor/hospital and the insurance company. Claim determination is made based on diagnostic codes and procedure codes....(i.e if your diagnostic code indicates a broken foot and the procedure code is for a throat culture, the claim will probably not go through).
Yes I've spent many years fighting claims, insurance carriers and fraudulant billing services...and usually win. I've been supportive of some regulation and change to the status quo for a long time now, but I can't support this Obamacare and I absolutely do not trust the government to handle this well.
There are viable solutions to get control of the cost of care but the AHCA doesn't address any cost issues.
You know I think maybe we should do this:...........
'We used to hustle over the border for health care we received in Canada. And I think now, isn't that ironic?''
—Sarah Palin, admitting that her family used to get treatment in Canada's single-payer health care system, despite having demonized such government-run programs as socialized medicine that will lead to death-panel-like rationing, March 6, 2010...................
lt.jdangle forgot to post Boehner's plan.. seek charity. I personally like the "marry a canadian" plan.
Speaking of jokes, the Minnesota Mangler and the Alaskan Witch Doctor are the Poor Idiot's Wikipedia Guide to American history... and that's not a compliment.
The above is from Dr. Donald Berwick - Obama's recess appointed Medicare Czar.
Obama talked about transparency, all the questions about rationing / death panels, etc.
Yet, not ONE hearing with Berwick.
No excuse - dispicable.
BTW - Seems I heard Berwick was reappointed Wednesday night.
No news on that FR?
Not enough room for that story, more important stuff like Bachmann......
Obama may be laughing, but any Granny with a clue isn't.
No one cares about Granny, sorry folks.
Time for the U.S. to concentrate on the well being of it's citizens, the governments first and foremost objective should be to protect it's citizens from evil both foreign and domestic, they have failed on both counts. They ignore the illegal immigration issue which has destroyed wages and benefits for American workers in many labor sectors and caused bankruptcy of state social agencies who services were meant to help less fortunate Americans, not foreign trespassers, exasperating all ready out of control healthcare costs, and to make matters worse they don't prosecute the criminals that hire the illegal's. Corporate America has been allowed to wash it's hands of any obligation to the American worker or America the country but still enjoys enormous tax breaks and military protection of it's assets worldwide all provided for by America and paid for by the American taxpayer, those benefits were provided to corporate America with the assumption that they would re-invest the windfall profits they were allowed to make back into this country, instead they invest in countries who are potential enemies of America. Now all the rage is how we need to stop spending, reduce the deficit, which is true, but it would seem that the government only wants to cut domestic spending, domestic spending that is beneficial to the average American anyway, it would seem that Congress wants to balance the budget on the backs of working Americans, to hear their rhetoric it is paramount that this spending be cut and cut now, while at the same time they spend 100's of billions keeping the military machine humming along in two police actions that no one can seem to explain the reason for, the reason is called "starve the beast", problem is the beast they intend to starve are the citizens they are sworn to protect. The Congress of the United States no longer represents the people of the United States, this country has became a text book example of how un-regulated capitalism is one of the most destructive ideas man has ever conceived, it has turned a nation that once had morals, compassion, and integrity into a corrupt plutocracy where the only concern is screwing some smuck out of another dollar.
granpa does!
Grandpa did. Grannie outlived her usefulness 30 years ago. If the kids and grandkids feel differently, let them take up a collection to keep her around, that would be a true expression of their love for her.
Yes, Mr President granny is safe; but the people who need organ transplants and other medical services in AZ are not. The "Mummy", Governor Jan Brewer uses her petrified finger to kill people.
Bev
Why isn't it possible for these people to get the transplants they need paid for by ObamaCare?
If there is not coverage available from the state funds, can they at least get insurance coverage (no pre-existing conditions) to have the transplants done.
It seems that AZ is out of money, but perhaps they can get these transplants paid for through insurance?
Hold on, Bev, because I remember having this SAME discussion with Robert in Ohio LAST MONTH, and I am STILL waiting on his response. So Robert, I repeat that last statement to you from 12/27/10, 19.3:
So you mean to tell me, Robert, that putting a new dome on a stadium IS WORTH MORE THAN A LIFE OF A HUMAN BEING THAT WANTS TO LIVE? You mean to tell me that they could use the stimulus money for that AND any other pet project that comes across her desk, BUT THE LIFE OF SOME BODY'S FATHER, MOTHER, BROTHER, SISTER DOESN'T MEAN A DAMN TO YOU; You mean to tell me that there's not a penny, not a dime could be spared for them, AND YOU HAVE THE AUDACITY TO TELL ME THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH OBAMACARE?!?!?!?
kevin and beverly - answer me this, it is a simple question a staight yes or no will suffice...
kevin (beverly), have you stopped beating your significant other yet? Remember a simple yes or no will do.
How about this one... Is it better to spend $500 thousand on one uninsured individual whose quality of life will be unaffected and/or whose life expectancy may not even be extended? Or is it better to spend that amount on the hundreds or thousands of people whose quality of life can be maintained for a significant period of time.
Kevin, since I don't know you, rest assure that if someone asked me to give money to you I would politely refuse and refer them to the red cross, salvation army or another charity I contributted to to assist you.
But Jan Brewer needed less than $2 mil, to continue the health care coverage for transplants. She sits on the stimulus and won't use it, while these people are being denied. She has made her own death panel.
No wonder poor Gabby got her ass so fast out of Arizona for real care. He family was not sure what Jan would be pulling out of her hat.
She has contributed quite a bit to the prisons in AZ. Lets take care of criminals, while the sick and needy suffers. Makes you wonder if she is getting kickbacks from her favorite jailers.
It was such a shame that a kidney was donated to a man by a family friend and he could not come up with the money fast enough, Jan Brewer cut the insurance and the kidney went to the "rich " person who could afford it.
So now health care and extension of life is for the rich. The poor be dammed. Health care is not a right, its a privilege, for the privileged. Remember that is what John McCain from Arizona said.
With 30 million more people who will be buying health insurance, the insurance companies are not going to support repeal. With 30 million more people who will be potential paying customers for medicine and drugs, the big pharmaceutical companies aren't going to support repeal. With 30 million more potential patients coming into the market, health providers aren't going to support repeal. It will be a very tough sell.
Bee,
Those 30 million aren't going to buy anything. You and I get to buy it for them. Isn't that totally fair??
Edward-1075991
Bee,
You have listened to the wrong people for your information, please read the facts and not the propaganda.
Yea Granny's safe....as long as she's in one of the Unions. Afterall, they have received waivers to Obamacare.
no worries, as soon as Barry's out of the White House, real Americans will make sure this monstrosity is repealed whether Barry likes it or not!!!!
May happen soon, may take a couple of years, but this monstrosity of a bill will be repealed, de-funded, killed in it's infancy.
This is the centerpiece of the Obama administration?? Let's see him try to run on this "accomplishment".
To you and many other right wing fans, it took 75 years to start on reform, it will take 150 years to go back in time when we didn't have any reform.
Boss,
Nobody ever said health care reform wasn't needed. It just that this bill has way too many flaws in it. Once it is thrown out, The Republicans can write a much better one. Make it public before it is voted on, and if the majority of the TRUE Americans agree with it's provisions, vote it in.
The New and Improved Health Care Reform Bill will Proudly display the Republican Gold Seal of Approval. If Obama vetos it, his action will show America what an incompetent idiot he really is.
Perhaps you have some insider knowledge the rest of us do not. Please enlighten us on this "New and Improved Health Care Reform Bill" from the republicans. The only ones I've heard was:
a.) Marry a Canadian
b.) Seek Charity
c.) Fend for yourself
Really, I am much interested in the "New and Improved Health Care Reform Bill" proudly sponsored by republicans. I am not sure how it defers with the democratic Old and Wornout Health Care Reform Bill. You see, I keep hearing how they will replace the current one, I just can't get ANY answer as to what they will replace it with. It must be a top secret agenda only you have knowledge of. Also, could you share it with the media? They don't know of it either. I had all but given up on any social reform from the republicans. The last one was No Child Left Behind, which left me disappointed.
Obama said Granny should "take a pain pill" instead of a life saving procedure like a pacemaker.
Any questions?
<
Could you spin that a little more to the right? Seriously, it's almost a lie, go ahead and make something up.
Let the choir say "amen!"
Obama lies and granny dies...Unemployment is still around 10%. Foreclosures continue at a record pace. The wars continue. Gitmo is still open. The borders remain unsecure. $1.5T national deficit. Looks like Bush's third term goes on.
Looks like all the naysayers need to spend a little time visiting/volunteering in a Nursing Home/Care Facility!
Granny and Granpa are cared for because ObamaCares!
MEDICAID at least gives the least among us an opportunity for dignity. The monthly cost at a minimum is somewhere in the neighborhood starting at $3,500 per month if on private pay. If not, will YOU become the provider, or will you just complain about Obamacare? What should become of our seniors or our disabled? Who should/would pick up the cost?
You may dislike President Obama, but ObamaCares!
So I guess Obama invented Medicaid just like Al Gore invented the internet. lol
Actually, had the right thing been done in Florida in 2000 and the will of the people had been honored, with a clean vote re-done, we would not have been in the mess we are in as far as war.
The almighty Supreme Court determined 'the will of the people'!
Guess that was a precurser to the 'Citizens United' ruling.
Disgusting!
Yeah, maybe 9/11 wouldn't had happened too!! Don't know what a "clean vote re-done" means, would that be like a do over? A do over until you get your way? What was the "will of the people"? Meaning that you didn't get your way or is there another reason?
Dang Supreme Court...................................unless they favor in your way then they're alright.......now that's disgusting........lol
One example: The Butter- Fly ballot in itself was a reason to have a re-vote. 4,000 to 19,000 votes not counted for Gore. So, in the finally, Bush won by 1784 votes.
Talk about a government take over. President Elect Gore never got to serve.
Ya Job, post that link that it was 4000 to 19,000 votes not counted. Boy that a very large range there. Hey let me ask you, was the military vote counted during that process? Go ahead and look it up.
A government take over? What government took over? Clinton was in office during this time-LOL......Damn Clinton!!!!-LOL
job1 - think the voters read the fine print on the ballots about marking the ballot clearly or to make sure the "chad" was completely removed. Hindsight is always 20/20. Woulda, coulda, shoulda.
HINDsight is only 20/20 when you have allowed a subpoena empowered security clearanced investigation. Anything short of that is revisionist history and "truth" by the consensus of the ignorant.
I'm assuming you mean a recount, because a revote would be impossible, and probably illegal. As for a recount, I am all up for finding out how the votes actually were, but there needed to be a recount of the entire state, including military ballots. The Supreme Court did screw up by not allowing for a full recount. If that had been done, then most studies suggest that Bush still would have won.
Michael L ........no 'study" of the Florida recount could indicate anything until we were permitted to subpoena the executives at DIEBOLD. The capacity for the electronic voting machines to subtract votes from one candidate and add them to another along with the "proprietary" software that they would not allow voting officials to have inspected by computer science experts are at issue. No paper receipt means no recount was done, as required by law. VIOLATION!
Wow! Sounds like many of you are glad Bush became president! I'm glad you are willing to own up to it. Please pay our government the money your vote cost us in deficits. Then, you can reduce the deficit and feel good about paying for your mistake.
The US continues to pay 3 to 4 times more per person for health care than any other advanced country on the planet. They have lower infant mortality rates and longer average life spans than we do as well.
We need to do what they do and not only will Granny be safe, but so will Granny's kids, grandkids and great grandkids.
If this country goes broke, it won't be because of foreign aid. It will be because we can't pay our doctor bills.
How many Obamacare waivers were given? Enough Said.
Its a decent law, give it time, see how it works in the real world and then fix things that don't work. Right now we have ideological positions on what will work and what won't.
Let the poeple decide once they see it in action.
If the law is so decent why is the President still trying to sell it to the American people? Why is the Obama Administration giving waivers to all these organizations, especially unions, to opt out (About 700 waivers so far.)? Get rid of this unconstitutional law and start over.
The reason he is still selling it is because the GOP is still lying about it. That's why people who were against it is now for it. The more they learn, the more they realize that HCR is a good thing.
The GOP is mad about Obama selling it, since their lies are being exposed. They claim it was partisan, they were not involved, when at least 160 GOP amendments were added and none of them voted for it anyway. So now who is lying?
They just want to start over, to once again block something that Obama was trying to push. It was not about the bill, it's about trying to make Obama look bad. I have a feeling this is going to work against them.
The GOP claims that the American People did not want it. It's turning out that they do. They don't want the lies that the GOP sold. They want the HCR that Obama is selling.
Well! We passed it and we still do not know what is in it do we! Every page has some form of reference to "Regulations to be determined" which means just that! Who makes the regulations when our guard is down? Like covering abortions aaahhhhh Covering illegals LOL and exempting the unions later on as well as the regulators of his mess. The 2700 pages also contains references to 40,000 other pages other legislation bills. Next to imposible to ever know who is and who is not covered. And folks remember this! Someday you young Obama lovers will be granny and grandpa too! The progressive will be comng to a granny near you as they transform your children in schools and colleges.
So, it turns out Pelosi was right when she said we'll have to pass it before we can tell you what is in it.
Paul
That is correct! Maybe by 2018 when the union exemptions expire we will know what is in it! Since it is designed to be constantly changing we will never ever know. We do know CBO has changed their tune as to the true costs. But even they have no clue! Obama continues to push this mess and so much wants us to believe him.
He is a failure! This bill is a failure! No one really ran their recent election touting the goodness of this trillion dollar plus mess.
You can always triple whatever the CBO says and be close to the truth!
People say that we can be like Canada! Yet, these same people do not want to pay for it! We have twice as many on welfare or entitlements of some kind than Canada has in total citizenship!
USMC - same thing on the financial reform act. The bureacrats will have free reign on how to interpret it when they write the regs or when the bankers give them $$$, whichever comes first.
Really?My Granny doesnt find that too amusing.several weeks ago,here doctor of ten years informed her that medicare would no longer be covering his costs and she would have to find another doctor.Theres only one other in our rural AZ town and with a hundred miles whos accepting patients and hes a bit backed up now.87 years old,Granny is a diabetic who requires a monthly prescription of meds.For now her old doc has agreed to continue refilling her scrips over the phone.I dont find MR "as president,I expect to have the best medical care for me and my family" too amusing either.Im @!$%#ing pissed as a matter of fact.
Which bureaucrat do you trust? One who had promised to uphold the constitution ( but cares more about his next cup of coffee), or one working for people who want to make the most money out of you they can who has not promised you anything at all? For or against it, how can you be anything but lukewarm?
It's funny to see so many people that have no idea what they are talking about...
From both sides of the debate.
Republicans will be whining about this law for 100 years (while fighting for every right the HCR law gives them) Once it is fully in effect,,,,,,,,,Everyone will benefit
What's the difference between Madoff's ponzi scheme and Social Security?
New Malthus,
answer: Unlike Madoff, Social Security has reliably delivered on its promises to Americans for 75 years. It is a government program that DOES work. Before we got it 50% of older Americans lived below the poverty line. Now it's only 10%, still not good enough, but vastly improved. SS is solvent until 2037 which gives us time to give it the top priority it deserves, move funds from the bloated defense budget, and stop borrowing from SS reserves which is why it's threatened in the first place.
Re "Obamacare". Labels like that and "socialized medicine" are just that: labels. Lets forget them, look around and see which countries have up-to-date, fair, cost-effective healthcare systems and COPY THEM! There are at least 35 other developed countries that deliver excellent health care to their citizens better than we do. Who CARES what they call it if it works! Do you LIKE having to argue over every health issue with an insurance company, that is perfectly willing weasel out and stick you with huge bills when you're already sick and stressed enough about that? If we had a single payer Universal plan there wouldn't be any arguments. There wouldn't be a complicated law with thousands of pages to argue about. I've lived in countries with "socialized" medicine. It was convenient and dependable. People LIKED it! The doctors were well educated and satisfied with the system. Obstructionist Republicans, and blue Dogs can blame themselves for keeping us from doing what really should have been done.
If Granny is safe as the President suggests, I will assume she is currently employed with one of the 700 plus companies who were approved for the "waiver" from this "new and improved" health care program. Question: If there is such a big savings and improved coverage with Obamacare, why do 700 companies/unions and 75% of americans opt for the status quo?
Hopefully Granny is retired, and not still dragging her creaking bones to work at a job that is no longer fun, just to have insurance that is increaasingly more expensive an nonresponsive to her needs. Have you noticed how much COBRA costs. COBRA kicks in after you're no longer employed.
Instead of focusing on job creation, the Republicans are again trying to bamboozled the everyone that social issues are paramount than job creation. Evidence of that can be found in Arizona where their is obsession for the President's birth certificate, instead of confronting the problem of job, housing and healthcare. Meanwhile, at the Federal level social issue is fast becoming the Republican mantra, as they go about replacing job creation with abortion law. The truth is Americans had already tried their prescription for job creation in the eight years of George Bush with no success at all, instead what the country got was the worst recession in history and a painful deficit.
Instead of focusing on job creation, the Republicans are again trying to bamboozled everyone that social issues are paramount than job creation. Evidence of that can be found in Arizona where their is obsession for the President's birth certificate, instead of confronting the problem of job, housing and healthcare. Meanwhile, at the Federal level social issue is fast becoming the Republican mantra, as they go about replacing job creation with abortion law. The truth is Americans had already tried their prescription for job creation in the eight years of George Bush with no success at all, instead what the country got was the worst recession in history and a painful deficit.
Amen Ben Bruce.